Dandy appears to be experiencing some difficulty walking again. I thought previously that she might have some tummy problems after a mistake in her crate, but the trouble seems to be linked to her back. After all the emotional stress and financial woes of her back surgery from 2009 I am desperately hoping that it is not once again IVDD. Symptoms include trembling and weakness in her back legs. I’m on the hunt now for a reputable vet in the area to take her in for an exam.
More deli eats
Deliman’s Grill
After checking out the Coppell Deli, my man and I decided to see if Deliman’s is any improvement on the original.
At Deliman’s they offer an expanded menu including lunch and dinner items like chicken fried steaks, pork chops, chicken, and shrimp. They also had a Mediterranean menu, with the standard offerings of kabobs, gyros, and grilled fish. The dining room is casual, substantially larger than the original, and Dallas Cowboys-love is evident everywhere. There isn’t a direction that you can point your fork at without finding a flat-screen TV looking back at you, so this is great for Cowboy- and sports-viewing parties.
However for our visit, my man and I went for the burgers again. He ordered the double-bacon cheeseburger while I opted for the patty melt. Again, I took a stab at their breaded onion rings and found it lacking–flavorless, like the kind you find in your grocer’s freezer. The fries tasted better, though they weren’t the same kind of wedges we got at the original location. My patty melt came with two cheeses oozing over the sauteed onions. While the burger came medium well, it was juicy and full of beefy flavor. My man reported that his came medium-well too but delicious, perhaps near the top of his list, as burgers go. His only complaint came from the bacon, which while plentiful, wasn’t fresh and too crunchy from sitting under a heat lamp too long.
Total damaged amounted to $22 and change with a soda. We’ll be back to try out their Mediterranean menu.
My rating: stars
No nonsense burger experience
We drove into Keller’s Drive-In for their burgers…
…and had to drive away.
They don’t take plastic. Strictly cash only.
A sign out front proclaims: “Been Here A Long Time…” and the place looks it. You don’t come here for the ambience or the people-watching (unless you enjoy this kind of place)…it’s probably the rattiest, dingiest little drive-in you’ll ever see. If you don’t cater to the truck-stop vibe, it will take a bit of courage to venture into the Harry Hines location. Forget about family-friendly–no Happy Meals here, no cheery-faced teenagers manning the registers, no wacky mascots, no ball-pits. The ladies walking up and down the stalls to take your order look like they can manage an unruly crowd—they won’t take no bull. This is an adult burger joint–beer is the liquid of choice to wash down their food.
But I hear it’s home to Dallas’ best burgers. So, one of these days…one of these days…
Where’s the heat?
Flavors Indian Restaurant
I ate at Flavors and must say that I was pleased.
My man and I were looking for a new dining adventure, and the man was craving Indian. Previously, the man had only one year’s experience with Indian food, so going to buffets was the best way to initiate him into the earthy-spicy exotic world of Indian food.
So we headed into Addison to give Flavors a try. First mark in their favor: nice, clean and spacious digs. If it wasn’t for the Sunday buffet I can imagine this place can host upscale dining. Second good sign: we were greeted immediately and ushered to our seats. Always a telling sign that the staff gets down to business–and that business is good food.
Third good sign: 2 buffet lines and all-you-can-drink soda fountain. As soon as we hit the buffet, everything was clearly labeled and stocked with fresh food. This was a good sized buffet with diverse vegetarian and meat offerings. Some standouts include their chicken tikka masala, lemon rice, fried fish, a fried potato/veggie dish and an excellent naan. (Which is saying something since I generally avoid the bread everywhere I’ve gone.) Other dishes less memorable were the chicken biryani, goat curry, saag paneer. We were surprised by the inclusion of a bitter melon dish on the buffet–typically more ethnic than most Americans can handle…woo! that’s definitely an acquired taste.
Flavors also delivered a capable fruit custard and a gulab jamun that was more custardy than bready, a decent rice kheer and good carrot halwa (though my partner says it’s not the best gajar ka halwa he’s eaten).
One thing I must fault Flavors’ buffet: not a single thing on the line was spicy-hot (not the pickled carrots or the spiced onions). Throughout lunch, I craved a burn, a kick, anything to get the nose running or throat scratchy…but none of the dishes I found delivered on the heat. In this I suppose Flavors’ buffet is newbie-friendly, but it would not be my first choice if I were looking to shock the tastebuds.
So Flavors’ buffet is great for initiates to Indian food, but too safe a choice if you’re looking for something stronger, more flavorful. However, the price is right (10.99 on Sat-Sun with unlimited soda), especially if it’s your first foray into this type of cuisine. As for me, I’ll come back for the good service and the naan.
My rating: stars
Shopping for a new pan
My Circulon Original covered saute pan (or is that a chef’s pan) has finally given up the ghost. The once-durable, ridged non-stick hard-anodized surface began to worry me over the last 6-8 months as food began to adhere to the surface and failed to lift with gentle cleaning. I expected a lifetime of use from it, but only got 10 years of heavy usage. While it was a beast to handle (heavier than other hard-anodized cookware that I owned) it was the workhorse of the kitchen. I cooked everything in it: from pan-broiling steaks, stir-frying batches of fried rice, to serving up adobo chicken. It endured constant use and never warped or scratched.
Today it sits in the sink, its bottom surface grimed and caked with burnt food that no amount of soap or scrubbing has removed. I’d hate to retire the thing, but I’ve already invested a couple of hours attempting to clean it with no success. Any stronger methods is sure to destroy what’s left of its non-stick nature. My other Circulon cookware has seen moderate use and has continued to perform as expected…just not this particular piece. I’m glad to have owned one though, and my next heavy-duty chef’s pan will definitely be comparable if not better than this one. I bought my share of cheap, short-lived $20 cookware…never go back to those again.
For now I’m having to fall back on a Kitchen Essentials/Calphalon Everyday Nonstick Saute Pan…but a few years ago, the bottom of the pan warped, no doubt from high heat. So there is a slight curve in the center of the pan that really cramps my cooking style…
Update: I’ve got 2 replacement choices currently in the running. Infinite Circulon 6 Qt Chef’s Pan and Cuisinart’s Multiclad Unlimited Pro 5.5 Qt Saute Pan.